Box 1, Folder 6: Diaries 1828-1830

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...for him to send the vol of Sill. Jour. which he has there by Mr. Collins who goes to Cinti. to escort the General. Jan 24th Wrote a letter to Judge Bates giving a figure description of the bridge as altered by Mr. White with other matter. Mr. Berthoud introduced Mr. Beaufort U.S. Engineer who wished to see my plans of the locks &c. relating to this canal. He is going to the head of the Mississippi and will return sometime next summer.

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Jan 31st 1829 Recd. of Mr. G.S. Goodwin twenty dollars on account. A few days ago, a lady acquaintance gave me for examination a univalve shell said to have come from the Indian seas. I took two figures of it one showing (a) the base and aperture and the other (b) the apex. It belongs to the genus Cypraea I. lenig, 'Involuted, sub ovate, obtuse & smoothe; the opeingin longitudinal, linear, denoted on each side and extending to both ends of the shell'

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It is probably the C. Tigris on tiger cowry being beautifully spotted with dark brown, and pale blue on the upper side. It has a pale yellow line extending the whole length of the shell on the top or side opposite the mouth. For a small space each way from the mouth there is no spots - and the shell is perfectly white. Monday Feb 2d 1829 Mr. Henry returned this evening from the mouth of the Ohio. Monday Feb 9th 1829 Reed of the L&P Canal Co the...

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...sum of ninty [sic] dollars being the amount for my wages up to the first of this month. While I was in Louisville I was introduced to Mrs. Goodwin who gave me several small specimens of seashells from the American coast. Feb 11th Wrote a letter to Prof. Silliman involving ten dollars, making in all ninteen [sic] dollars I have sent him for his Journal of Science - On the 7th recd. a letter from Darius from Darius & one from Pazzi and on the 12th I answered Darius'es.

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A steam boat arrived from New Orleans bringing some Oysters and I secured a specimen of the shell for my cabinet. They are said not to be as good for eating as those caught at [illegible]. Mr. Canvas White returned from New Orleans on the 3d of March; on the 5th I addressed him a letter requesting him to lend me sufficient money to pay my expences through a collegiate course of education, promising to return it as soon as I could earn it after receiving my education.

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On the 9th he visited us at Shippingport took one suit of shells which I had collected for him consisting of 30 varieties of the genus Unio. He told me, in answer to my letter that he wanted once to remain with Mr. Henry on the canal this season, and he would endeavor to procure a situation at Yale College: being acquainted with Silliman and others of the Professors. He will be at New Haven before he returned to this place in June next...

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...and will then make such arrangements as are necessary and let me know about them in June next. March 10th He left here for Pennsylvania. Dr. Harrison of Louisville has offered me the privalige [sic] of reading any books in his library for the use of Silliman's Journal - Wrote a letter to Dr. Hildreth of Marietta Ohio on the [illegible] March 18th cold weather...

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...yet hard frosty in the nights and no appearance of vegitation [sic] Commenced work on the canal on the 16th at the basin near the guard lock March 19th 1829 In the fore-noon I worked on the canal with Mr. Henry. We set stakes for the [ogee?] which formes the upper end of the basin at the guard lock, and for other purposes. Afternoon Ive attended to the weighing...

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...of some lock irons which are contracted to Scoglet Scott at fifteen cents per pound. After this I commenced a plan of the locks for Mr. Beauford, Engineer. The weather still remains quite cool with some snow - The river is a little above the top of Mr. Berthoud's wharf and rising. Fryday March 20 1829 Last evening a very heavy gale of wind spring up accompanied by snow and was succeeded by...

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...intensely cold weather which lasted through the day. There was not much work for me to do today. I worked a little on my plan of the locks. Mr. Ives visited us with the evenings and as he and I are both leaving the game of chess we played together. I alos got a letter from Pazzi at evening. March 21st Mr. Henry went to court as a witness today and I finished the plan of the locks for Mr. Beauford. March 23d 1829